A Message from
DS Rev. Mike Weeden
Focusing on What Matters
“And the Spirit immediately drove him out into the wilderness. He was in the wilderness forty days, tested by Satan, and he was with the wild beasts, and the angels waited on him. …Jesus came into Galilee announcing God’s good news, saying, “Now is the time! Here comes God’s kingdom! Change your hearts and lives and trust this good news!”
Mark 1: 12-15
There are many times I feel like Jesus in this passage: driven or pushed into uncomfortable and unknown places and spaces. We live in cycling seasons of unpredictability, uncertainty, and change. Our denomination is in a season of flux. Our Bishop, Mark Webb, announced his retirement as of December 31st. Who will God send to be our next Episcopal leader? We are still emerging out of the emotional and spiritual challenges of the pandemic. Change, uncertainty, and unpredictability can be disorientating to some. It is disturbing to others. It makes us uncomfortable. Will we allow it to enable us to be found faithful?
Jesus was driven(NRSV), compelled(NLT), sent(NIV), pushed (Message), or forced (CEB) into the wilderness. However described, Jesus did not have a lot of choice when the Spirit drove(etc.) him into the wilderness, a barren place of uncertainty, chaos, unfamiliarity, and temptation. Can you relate? Have you had days when you feel more driven into the unfamiliar than having chosen it?
Mark’s Gospel does not tell us much about Jesus’ experience of the wilderness except to note that he was there 40 days, was tempted by the adversary, was among wild animals, and the angels ministered to him. We do know that something happened in that place of unfamiliarity and uncertainty that enabled Jesus to emerge ready, willing, and on fire to proclaim the Good News and announce the presence of the Kingdom of God.
Mathew and Luke’s Gospels fill in some of the blanks. In the midst of temptation and uncertainty he majored in the majors: Staying grounded in scripture and remaining connected to the God of heaven. In the midst of uncertainty and unfamiliarity he took the important small steps of faithfulness. He remained grounded in what matters.
Jesus’ experience helps us. In a season of change and uncertainty, take the small steps of faithfulness that keep us plugged in: walk daily in scripture. Make worshipping with others a priority. We need each other. Serve others in Jesus’ name. Our mission remains: to make Disciples of jesus Christ for the transformation of the world. Keep the main the main thing. Stay focused on Jesus.
Life changes around us. The One who stills the storm IS with us. We need Jesus. And, the people in the communities we serve need the hope and promise found in Jesus.
|
|
Grants Available to Help Strengthen the Ethnic Local Church
Discipleship Ministries is pleased to offer the Racial Ethnic Local Church Concerns (RELCC) Grant, which provides funding to support the ethnic local church through leadership training, small groups, worship, stewardship, and spiritual formation as it engages in developing disciple-making systems inside the church walls and in the community.
Applications are due September 10, 2022.
Two grants per jurisdiction, of up to $10,000 each, are available. Please click the link below to see eligibility criteria and apply.
Priority will be given to new programs/ministries that move churches to places where disciples are formed, grow, and make new disciples of Jesus Christ who will transform the world.
|
|
Pictures Wanted
During the Laity Session at Annual Conference we are doing a slide show of churches being the church during the pandemic. We requested pics back in March and have only received pictures from about 10 churches and would love some more (just a few), please note what the pictures are of. If you would like to share, please email them to Brenda Shelmidine at shelmidinebrenda@gmail.com by Monday, August 22nd. If you already sent them back in March you do not need to send them again. Thank you.
|
|
Aldersgate Camp & Retreat Center
to offer Autism Friendly Family Camp
The Autism Friendly Family Camp is a three-night experience for the whole family to participate together in all the fun camp has to offer. The camp will be held at Aldersgate Camp & Retreat Center, a 200-acre site, nestled in the refreshing beauty of the Adirondacks. Children and adults with autism will have an opportunity to come together and experience the joys of camp. Similarly, their families will have the opportunity to join with others who also love and support a neurodivergent family member. Aldersgate's program offerings including swimming, boating, crafts, and outdoor games will all be available in a sensory conscious setting. There is no age requirement.
Autism Friendly Family Camp will be a wonderful, sensory-gentle experience.
Dates are August 21st - 24th Rates are $65.00 per person per night.
Click here to learn how this camp was inspired by, Geneva First UMC pastor, the Rev. Emily Huyge’s desire to create an autism-friendly family camp for her six-year-old son, Jacob.
And read about how excited the Conference is to offer this camp.
|
|
School Kit Update
UMCOR recently discontinued the School Kits and replaced them with the Menstrual Hygiene Kits. This does mean that we will no longer be collecting the School Kits at the HUB.
I understand there may have been churches in your district that have already collected the school kits with the intention to bring them to the HUB. I am encouraging congregations to use this as a prime opportunity to connect with their local school district or an organization in their community that supports children to donate the school items they have collected. I would love to receive emails with any pictures and/or information about how much was collected and where it was donated so we can celebrate the impact made by keeping the school kits local this year.
I have written a blurb about this on the website and it will be going out in the Weekly Digest today. If you could kindly share this in your district newsletters, I would appreciate it!
If anyone does have any questions, please feel free to direct them to me.
Peace and grace,
Kristina Clark
Director of Missional Engagement
|
|
Applications are Now Open for 2022 Mustard Seed Migration Grants
Every day, thousands of people flee their homes in search of a better life for their families.
The United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) Mustard Seed Migration Grants, inspired by the well-known parable, are available to provide up to 50 congregations in the United States with up to $2,000 in funding to support one-time, community-based projects that assist refugees, asylum seekers, undocumented persons and migrants of all types.
Applications will be accepted at any time prior to the Sept. 1, 2022 deadline, and will be reviewed and processed within a month of receipt. Churches receiving grants in 2021 are not eligible for the 2022 program (review 2021 list here).
For information on the application process, including selection criteria, click here.
|
|
Did you know that the United Methodist Church has a free, downloadable 45-page discussion guide tied to the #BeUMC campaign? This is a great resource for your Sunday School class, Bible study, or small group to reflect on what it means to #BeUMC.
|
|
We are in the planning stages for this years collection of shoeboxes and other items for the Red Bird Mission. We are looking for drop off sites in the various districts where various Churches could drop off their shoeboxes and or other items that are going to the Red Bird Mission.
We are looking for sites from October 16 thru November 16. The trip is planned for November 28 with the packing of the trucks on Saturday, November 26.
Redbird Mission
The need for shoeboxes filled with personal hygiene supplies, backpacks, new blankets and sheet sets and diapers are in great need this year. The need for used clothing is not a critical need at this time as their warehouse is full. We will still take new cloths as they can be used at the Community Outreach Center for distribution. If there are Churches that can be drop off sites, please send an email to Dalexander4@stny.rr.com , so a list can be made available in our future emails.
Your help in this project is greatly appreciated. If you have any questions, can be reached by email or you can call 607-743-8955. Thank you for helping us start the process of getting things ready to take to the Red Bird Mission.
|
|
Belleville UMC
Looking for a Keyboardist
Belleville UMC is looking for a part time - paid keyboardist. Interested persons please contact Dwight Greene at 315-232-2607
|
|
Registration for the 13th Session of Annual Conference Now Open
Annual Conference will be held remotely Oct. 6-8.
Who: All clergy and laity representatives to the Annual Conference Session
What: Thirteenth Session of the Upper New York Annual Conference of The United Methodist Church
When: Oct. 6-8
Where: Virtually
Theme: The theme will be It is Well – Keeping Hope Alive. We acknowledge all that we have faced in the last two years, and through it all, we are well, and God’s hope is alive.
Pastors: To be excused from Annual Conference, click here and submit this form.
Click here to read why the event was postponed and will now be held remotely Oct. 6-8, 2022.
All eligible voting members must preregister to be able to participate and vote. Registrations cannot be accepted after Sept. 16 due to online voting.
This year, there is a small registration fee to help cover the cost of virtual meeting support and voting.
Several offerings will be collected this year, including the Clergy Care Fund, Helping Hands Fund, UNY Mission Central HUB, Mission of Peace, and New Faith Communities. To learn more about these offerings and to make a donation, click here.
If you have any questions, call (315) 898-2000.
Registration deadline is September 16th
|
|
Job Opportunities for Upper New York Conference
The Upper New York Conference has job openings, please click here for more information.
|
|
Family Life and Youth Director Job Opportunity
Baker Memorial United Methodist Church in East Aurora, NY, is seeking a Director of Family Life and Youth to lead practical and spiritual education in Christian ministries for local families, children, and youth. This is a full time position that requires a flexible schedule. The compensation package includes competitive salary, housing, health and retirement benefits.
To respond to this opportunity please contact the church office at
|
|
Bishop Webb Announces Clergy Appointments
Upper New York Area Resident Bishop Mark J. Webb and the Upper New York Conference announce appointments and retirements pending approval of clergy session. View the full list of changes here.
Wondering how clergy appointments are made?
|
|
Tending the Soul Training
Tending the Soul, a training program in Missional Spiritual Direction and Congregational Formation, will be starting a new cohort in November 2022. The program is designed for lay and clergy. Perhaps more than any other time in our recent past, the ability to listen deeply for God, to remain centered and non-anxious, and to hold sacred space for others is an essential tool in ministry (both within your local congregation and the greater community).
Click here for more information and a brochure with all details on the program and how to apply.
|
|
Stewardship with
Rev. Susan Ranous
July 20, 2022
DISCIPLESHIP AND GENEROSITY
I’m continuing my conversation on discipleship, by talking about how interwoven it has to be in generosity and in the lives of pastors.
When we talk about intentional discipleship plans or pathways, doesn’t the focus always seem to be on the congregation. We have to intentionally lay out how we disciple others. We leave the pastor out of the discipleship pathway, other than as the person who helps create the plan.
Last week, I talked about how stewardship and discipleship are intertwined. More important than that, though, is that generosity and discipleship are intertwined. So…here’s where the pastor is going to come into it. “Pastors must have a passion for giving and believe in developing a generosity journey as an important statement about discipleship.”[1]
While we talk about preaching and teaching about stewardship and generosity, being an example of generosity and modeling it genuinely is more powerful than the best series of sermons could ever hope to be.
But the pastor can’t do it alone. Staff need to be involved. Leadership needs to be involved. Both staff and leadership also need to cultivate their own giving journey, just as we are asking our congregation to do the same. The pastor also needs to cultivate his or her own giving journey and be able to articulate it and model it.
Sometimes it’s difficult to have the conversations about it, but we can avoid them. If we have our own giving journey cultivated, we have something to talk about.
What is your giving journey? How would you talk about generosity in your own life?
|
|
Disaffiliating from the UNY Conference and the UMC
During the Upper New York (UNY) Annual Conference held virtually in June of 2021, the body passed Resolution UNYAC2021.7 which created a Study Commission to examine the readiness in the UNYUMC for the Implementation of the Protocol of Reconciliation and Grace through Separation.
Last fall, the UNY Study Commission issued surveys to clergy and congregations in the UNY Conference about the Protocol. Despite there only being a 30 percent response rate, some congregations and clergy did report that if the Protocol passes, they will leave the United Methodist Church. Click here to read the survey report.
Earlier this month, the Global Methodist Church announced that it will launch on May 1, 2022. Click here to read the announcement.
Given these changes, the Conference Board of Trustees anticipated there would be congregations who might now desire to explore disaffiliation.
Click here to read an article that outlines the disaffiliation process.
|
|
2022 Holiday Schedule
The District Office Will Be closed on the Following Dates
September 5th Labor Day
November 24th and 25th Thanksgiving
December 23rd Christmas Eve (Observed)
December 26th Christmas (Observed)
|
|
Northern Flow District
District Superintendent
Rev. Michael Weeden
Administrative Assistant
Tammy McAdam
Regional Associate
Rev. Rich Weihing
|
|
Northern Flow District Office Hours |
|
Monday through Thursday from 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
|
|
Northern Flow District
93 East Main Street, Second Floor
PO Box 208
Gouverneur, NY 13642
Phone: (315) 535-5149 FAX: (315) 535-5151
Upper New York Annual Conference
7481 Henry Clay Blvd,
Liverpool, NY 13088
Phone: (315) 898-2000 Fax: (315) 898-2027
Bishop's Office
7481 Henry Clay Blvd,
Liverpool, NY 13088
Phone: (315) 898-2020 Fax: (315) 898-2150
The Media Resource Center of UNYAC
Visit the website at
Our mission is to “make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
